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Dual Slalom Competition Concludes Collegiate MTB Nationals

Banner Elk, N.C. (October 28, 2007) – Fort Lewis College used wins in the women’s downhill competitions to help them take the overall Division I team omnium title over host Lees-McRae College at the 2007 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships in Banner Elk, N.C. The Colorado School of Mines used a balanced attack to edge North Carolina’s Warren Wilson College for the Division II all-around team award. Sunday’s dual slalom competition offered an exciting finale to the weekend’s competition.

photos Went Knipe

With several tight races in not only the overall team omniums, but also in the individual contest for the best all-around rider, Sunday’s dual slalom competition loomed very large for some. The morning once again started out with extremely chilly temperatures and fog looming in Banner Elk, as more than 130 riders took to the start of the dual slalom course in attempt to qualify for the first round of 32.

The women’s Division I dual contest was all CU versus Fort Lewis as pro rider and University of Colorado-Boulder student, Neven Steinmetz (Boulder, Colo.) took two of three from fellow Coloradoan Sarah Elsworthy (Durango, Colo./Fort Lewis College) to win the national championship. In the bronze medal ride things flip-flopped, with Fort Lewis’ Ashley Grubb (Durango, Colo.) prevailing over CU’s Danae York (Indio, Calif.).

The women’s Division II dual slalom was the only gold medal contest of the day that didn’t require a third ride. Leana Gerrard (Lake Tapps, Wash./Western Washington University) not only didn’t need the third ride in that round, but she didn’t need one all day, going undefeated in eight straight rides. Her final victim was Jamie Bourgo (Hancock, Mich./Michigan Tech Copper Country) who earned the silver. Ashlee Robison (Asheville, N.C.) of Warren Wilson College took the win in the bronze medal ride over Christen Boyer (Aspen, Colo./Colorado School of Mines).

“The pedaling sections were tough as we did a lot of runs, but it was a great course and totally worth it” explained Gerrard. “I just like collegiate cycling. There is a sense of team here I don’t get elsewhere.”

With all of the individual national championships for the 2007 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships set, it was time to hand out the omniums. The omnium awards are what makes collegiate cycling like no other, using points from each men’s and women’s event to tally an overall team winner. This year in Division I traditional cycling powerhouse Fort Lewis College prevailed over a program that is quickly emerging to national prominence, host school Lees-McRae College, and a school trying to return to its former prowess, the University of Colorado-Boulder. In Division II another Colorado institution, The Colorado School of Mines, pulled off a narrow victory over North Carolina’s Warren Wilson College.

“We brought a very, very solid team and things went well for us,” said Fort Lewis College Coach Rick Crawford. “This is really what it all comes down to. There are a lot of teams getting into the mix these days and that’s good to see. We hope for collegiate cycling to become ‘the’ development program for the pros.”

The individual omnium awards help showcase some of the country’s best young all-around talent. Chloe Forsman (Boulder, Colo./University of Arizona) edged Eszter Horanyi (Boulder, Colo./University of Colorado-Boulder) after they exchanged victories in the cross country and short track races. Winning both the cross country and short track races handily, Kylie Krauss (Asheville, N.C.) of Warren Wilson College won the DII women’s omnium, also putting on an impressive display.

In all, 22 national champions were crowned at this year’s USA Cycling Collegiate Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships, but the true spirit of collegiate cycling was shown through the more than 300 dedicated cyclists and students who put it all on the line this weekend.